Everyone Has Scars
by astrozombie13
Summary: Lance Sweets has finally gotten over Daisy, and a new therapist/linguist is hired at the Jeffersonian. Will he find everything he was looking for? And what secrets could she be hiding? Sweets/OC (not for Daisy-lovers) Might be moved to M later
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Any Other Day

Dr. Lance Sweets was having an average, run-of-the-mill day at the Jeffersonian. Which, to paraphrase, meant he had to deal with the constant teasing of his young age (despite him initially thinking it wasn't a problem, and something to be proud of rather than ashamed), and his choice of study. Oh, don't be mistaken, he loved his job and his friends there, but as he personally believed, every positive came with a negative.

For example, his getting the job of resident psychologist at the Jeffersonian was followed after the death of both of his adopted parents. Booth finding out that he had scars on his back gave him the ability to be more open with his friends and coworkers, and form a little….surrogate family, of sorts. His break up with Daisy had given him….

_Well, still waiting for that one,_ he thought to himself sadly. It was no lie that Sweets hadn't felt exactly the same after the breakup. Although he felt that he had gotten over her, or as much as he could have, he felt that there was a part of him now that was empty, but he knew very well that Daisy was not the one to fill that gap. He missed her, but not for the conventional reasons. He liked being able to say he had someone, someone to hold and cuddle with, but the biggest problem was he didn't like _her._ She was beautiful, and smart, and kind, but she was too intense and fast for him.

Lance sat in his office, filing paperwork, when Cam walked in through his door. "Dr. Sweets, may I borrow you for a second?" she asked, although Lance concluded that it was more of a command than a question. "Sure, is something wrong?" he asked casually. She smirked. "Dr. Sweets, always so busy worrying. Nothing is wrong; I just have someone I want to introduce you and the team to." she said rolling her eyes. He took a tired breath and closed the files he was looking at.

"Come on, Dr. Sweets, we don't have all day." she said with a smirk. Lance quickly followed her out of his office.

Camille led Lance to the lab area, where the interns, Booth, Brennan, Angela, and Hodgins were all standing respectively. "Now that I have all of your attention, I am more than pleased to announce we have made an addition to the team."

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A petite woman, most likely only 5'2" without her heels, with a lovely figure walked over to the team. She wore a light pink, silky short-sleeved button up blouse with light grey flared slacks, and a pair of stiletto pumps. With reddish brown, big curls that reached just a few inches below her shoulders and warm hazel eyes, she was most likely one of the most beautiful women Lance Sweets had ever seen. "Team, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Cassidy Blackwood. She has a Ph.D in linguistics, and also has a Masters in animal-assisted therapy, and is also qualified to work with children and individuals with special needs. I am hoping you all show her the utmost respect, and cooperate with her." Cam explained. Lance, out of curiosity, looked around at his fellow colleagues, and saw that they all looked pretty impressed. He was too of course, she couldn't be any more than 22 years old, with studies in things he also had interest in, and she was absolutely stunning. Unsubtly, Lance continued to stare at her, when he noticed that she too, was staring at him.

Lance gulped loudly and a noticeable blush ran across his cheeks. Seeing this, the woman blushed too, but a warm grin that was slightly shy, but nonetheless adorable spread on her face. He noticed that she has freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, and that she had a very…positive energy surrounding her. He almost jumped when he heard her speak. "Hello everyone, I look forward to studying closely with all of you, and I hope none of you mind, but due to the fact that I am working as an animal-assisting therapist and linguist, a part of my job is to work with animals. So assuming everything goes to plan, I will most likely be moving in a few of my non-human friends tomorrow!" she explained in a cheerful manner. Everyone, even the interns, seemed pretty interested in this, and nodded in understanding. Lance took in her bell-like, melodic voice, and just as he was about to replay the beautiful sound in his head, Cam cleared her throat. "Dr. Sweets, I expect that due to the fact that both you and Dr. Blackwood seem to have similar fields with the exception of linguistics, you show her the ropes around here per sae, and help her feel comfortable in this new environment." Cam said, with a mischievous gleam in her eye. Lance quickly calmed himself down, and nodded.

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Lance POV:

After everyone returned to their responsibilities, and I had a quick conversation with Cam about basic information I should give to Dr. Blackwood, I decided I would show her around the lab and offices, and give her a more personal introduction to the team. But out of my own curiosity, I first wanted to show her the office where she would be working. After a few awkward seconds of us both walking down the hallway, I decided to man up and talk. "So, Dr. Blackwood…"

"Oh, call me Cassie, Dr. Sweets, Dr. Blackwood sounds so…impersonal. I assume that since Dr. Saroyan said we would be seeing a lot of each other, we at least get comfortable!" she said with a giggle. Lance laughed nervously, not really expecting her to even acknowledge him, never mind actually want to get 'comfortable'. "Okay, Dr. Bla-I mean, Cassie. So as I was saying, what brings you here? You seem fairly young."

"No offense Dr. Sweets, but so do you."

"...Touche."

"And in response to your question, I went to Yale up until last year. I skipped several grades when I was younger, so I was able to achieve all this…academic success…even though I'm 22 years old. One of my professors told me about an opening here at the Jeffersonian, so here I am!"

I widened his eyes in surprise. "Wow, that's pretty impressive. I'm 22 years old as well, actually. So, as a fellow therapist, what exactly is your job? What will you be doing around here?" I asked. She glanced up at me with a proud smile. "I'm able to speak over 10 languages; so much of my work will be translating and the like. When I'm not doing that, I will be working with children or special needs adults that are involved in any of the investigations the team is working on. Many kids or handicapped adults prefer stress free environments, especially if they are a victim, or have experienced some form of trauma. So while you are talking with adults, I will be with kids and special needs patients, using the psychological study that certain animals are able to comfort and coax the patient."

Thoroughly interested, I realized that he and this woman had a lot in common. This meant that I would not be the only one working with some form of psychology, and I would hopefully stop feeling so unimportant in a department full of crime investigating agents who actually went out and helped the country. Finally after what seemed like hours (not that I would have minded in the least), we reached Cassie's new office. I opened the door for her, being a gentleman and all, and she gave me a quick heart-stopping smile. The office was quite large, which I assumed was to keep her animal friends and other necessary equipment without being too crowded. The office was light brown with wooden flooring, and a white rug. There was a simple desk and lamp, a brown Laz-E-Boy and a couch. Cassie seemed content, and then turned towards me. "So, what's next, Dr. Sweets?"

Authors Note: So this was the first chapter! Sorry if it wasn't that great, I've never been good at beginning stories, but I promise it will get better! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm super sorry guys, in the last chapter I know I said Booth found Sweets' scars, however I meant to say Brennan! Slip of the tongue. I do not own Bones, only Cassie.

Chapter 2: Things Have Changed For Me, and That's Okay

After a quick tour of the lab and meeting everyone (Synopsis: they all adored her), Cassie and Lance walked back to their offices. Doing his gentleman-like duty, he walked her to her office. "So, _Dr. Blackwood_, I'm right down the hall if you need anything, so if you ever have any questions, or just want to talk to a fellow psychologist, I'm right there." he said nervously, pointing at his room down the hall. Cassie let out a giggle. "Sure thing, Dr. Sweets, sure thing."

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As the new member of the team, and the fact that everyone seemed to like her, Brennan, Booth, and Sweets decided to take Cassie out for drinks. They all met up at some local bar at around 8, after they had finished their work for the day.

Brennan, Booth and Sweets had all arrived at exactly 8 and booked a little round table. After about 15 minutes, Cassie still hadn't arrived. "Listen, I really don't think she's going to show up. She's already 15 minutes late." Booth said exasperatedly. Sweets eyes widened. "Just wait a few more minutes, guys, she'll be here soon." he said, trying to hide the fact that he really did want this girl to show up. Booth narrowed his eyes at him, knowing something was up.

"Aw, does Sweets have a little cru-"

All of the sudden, Cassie stormed in, slightly disheveled, and ran over to their table. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! My car was having trouble starting and I just got so frustrated and I'm hoping I didn't already make a bad impression!" she exclaimed, obviously worried. Lance smiled at her reaction. "You're perfectly fine, Dr. Blackwood. It has come to my attention that your apparent concern for your tardiness shows that you are genuinely apologetic." Brennan replied with a small smile. Cassie smiled in relief, and took a spot in the seat Lance had discretely pulled out slightly so she would notice it.

Little did Lance know Booth was watching his every move with a mischievous smirk.

After a few minutes, a cocktail waitress came to their table and asked for their drinks orders. Brennan had ordered a glass of red wine, Booth and Sweets ordering Scotch. The waitress turned her attention to Cassie. "And you, Miss?"

"I will have a coke, thank you." Cassie quickly replied. The waitress, surprised at her order as all the other adults had ordered alcohol, just nodded her head and scurried off. The other three also noticed this. "No alcohol, Dr. Blackwood? That's unusual." Booth said, his eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. Cassie's face turned bright red. "Y-Yeah, I've never taken to alcohol. Not my thing." she replied shortly. Booth and Sweets noticed the strain on the subject, but Brennan, unfortunately, did not get the message. "I have to agree, it is unusual for someone your age to refuse alcohol, as in most cultures, 20-25 year olds tend to drink more than average." Brennan said nonchalantly. Cassie blushed even harder, and her eyes grew slightly cold. "I don't want, nor feel obligated, to drink alcohol with anyone, specifically my new colleagues. Thank you for showing such intense curiosity on my strange mannerisms, but I would appreciate it if you didn't point out how unusual it is that I want a clean liver." Cassie stated heatedly. Booth, Brennan, and Sweets all looked at her in surprise, not expecting a woman who seemed so happy moments ago to take such a dark turn. Sweets, wanting to dismiss the tension, decided to change the subject. "So Cassie, tell us about yourself." he said, giving her a small smile. Brennan and Booth gave him a strange look. "Cassie?"

"Is that what you wished to be called outside of the workplace, Dr. Blackwood?" they asked.

Cassie, who seemed to have gone back to her normal ways, gave a light giggle. "Yes. My name is Cassidy, however Cassie is what I prefer. Um….what's to say? I grew up in Pennsylvania, graduated extremely early after skipping a few grades, went to Yale, and that brought me here!" she said truthfully. They all looked at each other in surprise. "Wow, Yale is a very academically challenging school. However I am really interested in how you got into linguistics and animal assisted therapy." Brennan asked honestly. Cassie blushed once again, and smiled weakly. "I've always loved languages, and I always valued their importance because they are the pathways of communication. And communication is everything, so I got into linguistics. As of how I got into therapy, I realize how hard it must be for anyone to have to receive therapy, never mind someone who is handicapped in some way, or an innocent child. No one should have to go through anything alone, so I feel that my animals are making things easier."

"Even if it's as simple as having an animal near them to keep them calm." Lance added. She smiled proudly. "There's nothing simple about it, Dr. Sweets. These people look at some of my animals like it's the only thing they have, and for some, it is. Especially children. They view my animals as a friend, and that's all they want and need." she stated with a gleam in her eye. After a few minutes of mindless chatter, their drinks showed up.

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Cassie was very frustrated. It was her second day at work, and needed to move stuff in to her new office. Trying to juggle holding onto her dog/coworker, a golden retriever named Sammy, and her supplies she was supposed to move into her office, proved to be somewhat impossible. As she reached the elevator, she tried to nudge the 'Up' button with the baby blue plastic container holding all of her belongings, but fumbled and all of her things fell to the ground. "Damn it! Barely 10 o'clock and I can't even make it to my office." She grumbled. Sammy, who was luckily very well trained, sat down next to his owner as she picked up her materials.

"Do you need help there, Dr. Blackwood?" said a low voice suddenly. Cassie just about jumped out of her skin, whipping around, and saw Dr. Sweets. A small blush crawled up into her cheeks. "T-Thank you, Doctor. That is very kind of you." She replied gratefully. He kneeled down beside her and started to pick up files that had fallen. "You know, if I call you Cassie, you can call me Lance."

"Lance?" Cassie said between giggles. Lance frowned. "Yes, that is my name, why, is something wrong with it?" he asked somewhat offended. Her giggles stopped, and quickly replied. "No, no, it's just that…in the short time that I've known you, I feel like it is the exact opposite of who you are." she rushed. He narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

"Well, Lancelot, which is of French origin, is also the name of a knight at King Arthur's table. Despite being considered the bravest, he ran off with Guinevere, King Arthur's wife. That's no form of bravery to me, and I feel that you wouldn't do something like that." she explained truthfully. He raised his eyebrows, surprised at her response, but said nothing. Finally, hall of her belongings were picked up, and as she tried to get them from him, he shook his head. "Nonsense, let me carry this to your office for you. You just bring along Fido." he laughed. She joined him in the elevator, Sammy toddling along.

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Cassie was very, very bored. She completed all of her translation work she had for the day, and although Cam said she could head home early, it would be pointless, as there was even less to do there. She sat on her Laz-E-Boy, Sammy curled up on her lap, despite him being a little too big, when she heard a knock at her door. "Come in," she said with a sigh, not looking up.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time? I can come back-"

At the sound of the somewhat unfamiliar voice, Cassie quickly sat up and fixed herself, Sammy jumping off her lap and onto the floor beside her. "Oh, hello Angela, please, sit down." she said, surprised. Angela, who looked quite distressed, made herself comfortable on the couch across Cassie. After a few minutes of silence, Cassie started to speak. "Is there something you would like to talk about, Angela? Take your time." she said softly. After a few seconds, Angela let out a sigh. "It's just…lately, I've been feeling very…melancholy."

"Melancholy? How so?" Cassie asked. Angela took another deep sigh, and rubbed her temples. "As you know, I basically put the faces to the people who were…murdered. And as of late, I just feel very emotional when I do it! I don't understand, I never was before." she answered, obviously exasperated. Cassie smiled lightly. "As I recall, you are married and have a baby, correct?"

"Yes…what does that have to do with anything?" Angela asked skeptically. Cassie chuckled. "As a woman, with a child and a husband, your emotional connection with the victims in which you are working with will become stronger. Now that you subconsciously realize that many of these people had families of their own, you empathize. Now that you finally have a family of your own, something you really care about, you couldn't imagine having to lose them. I assure you, Angela, what you are feeling is very normal. I would probably be more concerned if you were completely detached from the cases." Cassie explained. Angela smiled gratefully, taking into account everything the young doctor just said. "How do I fix it? I feel like I'm not being…professional." Angela whined. Cassie frowned. "No matter how unprofessional you may feel, Angela, you are human. And you are a mother. There is no fixing emotions that cannot be helped. With time, this may pass, but suppressing your feelings will cause more bad than good. The fact that you are able to admit to me that you are having these issues show that you are obviously very concerned about your job, although I promise you, there is nothing to worry about." the doctor replied seriously. Angela nodded, and got up to leave. Right as she approached the door, Cassie spoke up. "Angela, may I ask you a question?"

"Um, sure. Go ahead."

"Out of curiosity… what made you come to me about this? Not that I take issue with it, but I'm sure Dr. Sweets would have been more than glad to listen."

Angela smiled. "It's not Sweets, Dr. Blackwood. I just felt…that as a woman…maybe you could help me relate, you know?"

Cassie smiled in response. "I do. And before you go, I hope you realize, your baby is very lucky to have a mother as concerned as you."

Angela, whose eyes seemed to grow misty, let out a quiet thank you, and left. As Cassie returned to her desk, she was surprised to hear another voice.

"You know, that advice was really very helpful. The way you did it, so understanding and kind-mannered was very impressive." Said the one and only Dr. Sweets. Cassie quickly spun around for what seemed the billionth time that day, and let out a breath of relief. "Well, sometimes, we just want to be held, even if metaphorically. Angela was looking for the reassurance I was happy to give her." she explained softly. Lance, noticing the change in tone, yet not saying anything because it was so sudden and unexpected, simply nodded in agreement.

Lance also noticed something else.

Even if he had to spend every waking day and night, he was going to figure out Cassie Blackwood.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO VALLYDREAM! Thank you for being my first reviewer, and liking my story! BTW I LOVE WHITNEY BLACK!

Chapter 3: Mi Ancla

It's been 3 weeks since Cassie started her work at the Jeffersonian.

And Lance never felt stranger.

And that's a considerably odd thing to say, since he works in the FBI, with his crazy coworkers and even crazier suspects and victims. But he did feel weird. Ever since he met Cassie, the petite, young linguist/therapist, with the smile that could light up all of DC, he felt light-headed and giddy, like a 13 year old girl. Everything about her excited him: her job, her intelligence, her kind, soft voice, her happy demeanor, her empathetic ways, everything. He knew he just met her, but there was something about this woman that could make him act like a lovestruck teenager again. The scariest part was that this wasn't something he ever felt before, not with April, and definitely not with Daisy. He didn't know how to react, what it meant, but he wasn't even sure he was concerned about it.

Lance headed over to her office, as he had for the last 3 weeks to walk her to lunch. Her door was open, as always, and he knocked. Cassie looked up from her computer confused, until she saw Lance and smiled. "Dr. Blackwood, may I escort you to lunch?" he asked in a terrible British accent. She giggled and rolled her eyes. "Yes you can, as long as you NEVER butcher a British accent again." she laughed. He placed his hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "You wound me, Cassidy Blackwood. C'mon, I think someone ordered Asian." he stated. She excitedly got up from her chair, whistled for Sammy to follow her, and grabbed her purse. She grinned happily at him. "Did someone order my-"

"Tofu stir-fry? Yes, I told Angela about your nasty vegetarian needs." he said, his face contorted into one of disgust. She laughed at his response. "_Vegan,_ Lance, _vegan. _And it's not nasty, I just find it highly contradictory for me to claim I love animals and work with them, when I eat their families." She said haughtily. He chuckled.

"Sure, sure. I just can't understand how you survive without a good burger or steak once in a while."

"I do eat burgers and steak."

"You eat veggie burgers and portabello steaks. There is a difference. A huge one."

Lance and Cassie arrived in the meeting room, still playfully bickering, and sat down with Brennan, Booth, Angela, Cam, and Hodgins. Sitting down next to each other, Cassie grabbed her plastic container of stir fry, while Lance opened a box of sweet and sour chicken. He handed her a pair of chopsticks, while she reached to the middle of the table and grabbed him a diet coke. She took a bite of her tofu, looking at Lance the whole time, as he made a face. She chuckled, and grinned cheekily. "Yummmmm." she said, her eyes closed as she took another bite.

Neither one of them realized everyone was staring at the two.

Slowly, the silence that surrounded the duo became apparent, and they turned to look at their colleagues. Cassie instantly felt a rush of blood to her face, and Lance simply shrugged. Before either of them said anything, Brennan cleared her throat. "You do realize that the obvious sexual tension between you and Dr. Blackwood is not only noticeable to us, but to yourselves subconsciously, do you not?" she stated nonchalantly. Cassie just about choked on her food, while all the blood drained from Lance's face. "I assure you, there is no sexual tension." Lance coughed, while Cassie seemed to find her lap very interesting. Angela and Hodgins struggled to hold in their laughter, and Cam was biting her lip, trying to fight a smile. "Well, I-I better go, I'm sure I have some work to do…somewhere." Cassie mumbled, snapping her fingers and motioning for Sammy to follow her. Lance opened his mouth to say something, but she already left the room. Feeling defeated, he crossed his arms, sulking. "Was that really necessary, Dr. Brennan?" he asked impatiently. She shrugged. "I was only commenting on my observations. If didn't mean to make you feel bad-"

"Well, you did. Ugh, what am I going to do?" he muttered, exasperated. Hodgins patted him on the shoulder. "Talk to her, man. It's kind of what you do for a living."

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Cassie tried to bury herself in her work, attempting to forget the humiliating incident at lunch. _I can't believe how embarrassing that was, _she thought unhappily. Sammy, who seemed to notice her discomfort, let out a small whine and buried his head onto her lap. She unconsciously groomed his head, when she heard a knock at her door. She turned around, only to see Lance. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Hi, Lance." she said softly. He nodded his head at her, trying to hide the disappointment that she didn't seem as excited to see him. He understood, of course, she was still embarrassed. "Cassie, I just wanted to check up on you…I mean the whole lunch thing…"

"I'm fine. Really. Dr. Brennan was just…speaking on observation, not on fact." she said briskly. Lance nodded, but still feeling the tension, didn't leave. "I…just wanted to let you know…I completely, completely disagree with Dr. Brennan. I mean-sexual tension- what does that even mean?" he said nonchalantly. She nodded her head hurriedly. "I know, right? I mean, she has no right to say that. And besides, we work in the same department-it's only normal that we become close friends!" she stated. He pointed at her, a smile on his face. "Friends! Exactly right! Friends!" he replied. They both stayed silent for a few minutes.

"Well, I better-"

"Yeah, me too."

Lance quickly gave Sammy a pat on the head, and headed out of the office. Cassie took a breath of relief, and ran a hand through her reddish brown curls. _Friends, _she thought. _That has a nice ring to it._

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Cassie flipped through her files, seeing if there was anything left for her to do for the day. Things between her and Lance were going as if that lunch-incident never happened, and she couldn't be happier. The awkward atmosphere that existed between the two 2 days after the incident was unbearable, but somehow, it passed. Just as she was going to grab her coat, she noticed Sammy wasn't in the room. A sense of panic surged through her, but she quickly collected herself. She hurriedly walked out of her office.

Cassie felt she had looked all over the Jeffersonian, and Sammy was nowhere. She performed all of his calls, looked in every nook and cranny, but to no avail. "Looking for something?" said a voice from behind. She whipped around, and saw Lance. "I-I can't find Sammy. I've looked everywhere, and I can't find him. Oh god, what if he slipped through a door or something? He's very smart, but I don't think he could-"

Lance slowly sat her down. "You need to calm down. I will help you look for him. But first, you need to take a breath." He stated in a concerned voice. Cassie placed her head between her knees, taking multiple deep breaths, and finally sat back up. "I'm okay, I'm okay. Come on, we have to find him." She said after a few minutes. He helped her up, and they started their search.

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"No, you have to snap, not clap. Like this," Cassie said, as she snapped her fingers, beckoning for Lance to follow her lead. Lance and Cassie looked all over the institute, and even Lance had to admit, his calling skills needed improvement. Cassie was growing impatient and desperate. Suddenly, as they head over in the direction of Hodgins' office, they heard a cheerful bark. Cassie and Lance looked at each other, and quickly walked into his office.

Jack Hodgins was sitting on the floor, as the cute golden retriever with a red collar ran around him in playful circles, barking. Hodgins was laughing, which seemed to excite the dog, making him lick the side of the entomologist's face happily. Lance and Cassie took a breath of relief, Cassie practically clutching her heart. "You…you are one bad puppy, Sammy-wammy." she said softly. Hodgins looked up at them, and quickly got up, brushing his pants off. "Oh, man, sorry guys, he…walked past…my office, and I got curious and called him over, and before I knew what was happening, he was trying to play with me," he said apologetically. Cassie waved him off, and Sammy ran over to her, nuzzling his large head into the back of her knees. She crouched down and ruffled the dog's ears. "You scared me, big guy." She whispered. He barked in response, and licked her. The dog then ran over to Lance, and jumped up on him, making him fall to the floor. Sammy tackled him with his kisses, making Lance laugh.

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Lance and Cassie were walking to the parking lot, ready to go to their homes after their long, stressful day. "Thank you, again, for helping me find Sammy. I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't find him." she said for about the hundredth time that evening. Lance shook his head. "I've already told you, there is no need to thank me. That's what colleagues-and friends-do for each other." he reassured. Something had been on his mind ever since they found Sammy, yet he was tentative to ask. "Cassie…may I ask you a question?" he said cautiously. Cassie noticed his tone, and nodded. "When we were trying to find Sammy…you were growing very panicky and anxious. Now, I realize that you were concerned, since he is your pet, but you were very frightened. Why?" he asked. She took a deep breath, and suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "It's just as you said- he is my dog. Of course I would be afraid that I lost him."

"I feel like you aren't telling me the whole truth…"

Cassie took another breath, this one shaky. "I don't know what you want me to tell you. I will tell you that Sammy does his job very well. He's just as much a comfort to me as he is with any patient I work with." She said honestly. Lance's eyes narrowed. "In what ways is he a comfort? Are you admitting that there is something you need to be comforted?" he asked. She chuckled. "Don't try and psych me out, Sweets. I am just as much a psychologist. I am not your patient."

"Why won't you just answer my question?"

Cassie took an exasperated sigh. "Fine. As I said I before, Sammy is just as much a comfort to me as my patients, but that isn't all he is. He's a helper dog."

"Wait. So you mean to tell me-"

"Yes. He is my helper dog. I have Panic Disorder. He helps keep my calm and luckily, he's just as good with anyone else I work with. And if you are trying to discredit me for being a therapist when I need therapy myself, I will have you know that if you have seen the things I've seen, you would need one just as well." she explained. Lance's eyes went wide open, completely shocked. Never would he have thought that Cassie, whom he deemed a completely flawless human being, would have anything wrong with her. "Thank you, for sharing that with me. I realize that it must have been hard-"

"I assure you, it's fine. I feel…refreshed. Cleansed." She said with a sigh. Lance, not quite believing her, but not wanting to say anything unless she wasn't ready, nodded in response. "Well, if you ever want to talk to me about anything, I'm always here. As a psychologist or a friend." he stated seriously. She smiled meaningfully. "Thank you...Lance. I really appreciate that."

They made eye contact for a few minutes, before Cassie spoke up.

"Well, I better get Sammy home, he needs a nice walk." She said. He chuckled. "I agree, he does look antsy."

She laughed, and before they knew it, they were in the garage. "Like I said before, thank you, for everything. Even your psychoanalysis on me."

"I will psychoanalyze you anytime, Cassie." He said laughing. As she opened her car door and he started to walk to his, he turned around. "Hey, I don't want you to feel weird, or anything…but do you want to catch lunch tomorrow?"

Cassie smiled. "Lance, we've had lunch together since the first week I started at the Jeffersonian."

Lance rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Well, I was wondering if you actually wanted to…go out…together. To lunch." He asked. She giggled.

"I would love to, Lance."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Here's the fourth chapter! Hope you like it! Some more Cassie/Lance action!

Chapter 4: You're Like a Never-Ending Summer

Cassie, as per usual, was sitting at her desk, when the infamous knock at her door rang through her ears. She looked up, and saw Lance, smirking, resting on the sill. "You ready to go?" he asked. She nodded her head, and turned off her computer. "Where's Sammy?" he said, as he surveyed her office. She smiled. "I left him with Hodgins, I didn't want him to be alone in here, and he seems to calm the 'King of the Lab'". She laughed. He laughed too, and motioned for her to follow him.

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"So where is it, the place that we're eating at?" she asked. He shrugged. "It's just a little diner, they have pretty good food. Good burgers."

"Do they have salads?"

"I double checked, they have quite a menu, most of it suitable to your vegan tastes."

She blushed. _He double checked just to see if there was anything I could eat…how cute, _she thought happily. "Thank you for checking. Not many people would care that much." She replied. He gave her a weird look. "Well, it would be pretty sad if I took you to a place you couldn't eat at." He said. She had to agree with him, but she still couldn't help but feel slightly giddy. They walked out of the Jeffersonian, and started down the sidewalk. Lance had told her it was in within walking distance, and even though he preferred using his car, Cassie was very eco-conscious and would rather walk.

After 10 minutes of walking and making casual conversation, they arrived at the small diner. They walked in, and Lance motioned for a waitress to get a table for two. Cassie observed the place, and noticed it was nice and cozy, most likely a Mom-n-Pop place, but it was perfect. Lance, like the nice gentleman he was, pulled out the seat for her, and she felt heat rise to her face.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

They both observed the menu, and a waitress went over to their table. "Hi, my name is Maritza, I will be taking care of you today. What can I get you?" she asked, but she was only looking at Lance. Lance, who didn't even seem to notice (which cheered up Cassie, who wanted nothing more than to rip off the young harlots head) spoke first. "I'm going to get a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake."

"And I will have a Greek salad and water with lemon."

The waitress looked between the two, confused at the two very different orders. Lance and Cassie noticed this and smiled. She walked away, leaving them both alone.

"She was totally checking you out!"

"Ah, no, she was just observing."

"Yeah, perhaps those dimples were too alluring for her."

"Do you find my dimples alluring?"

Cassie blushed and ducked her head. His eyes widened, and a proud smile formed on his face.

"Oh my god!"

"What?!"

"You _do _like my dimples!"

"What? You're crazy."

"You do!"

"You're nuts."

Lance knew he wasn't going to win the argument, but was very content with himself. Finally, their food came, and just as they were about to eat, Lance got a text. His eyes widened.

"What? What's wrong?" Cassie asked, obviously concerned. His eyes glanced from her to the text. "We're needed at the lab. Both of us."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassie and Lance walked quickly into the lab, and everyone seemed to be very busy. "What happened?" Lance asked quietly. Cam came rushing over to them. "You showed up much quicker than what I expected."

"Yeah, yeah, what's going on? Why is everyone so panicked?" Lance asked. Cam motioned for them to follow her. "An anonymous hinter gave us an address over the phone. We sent Brennan and Booth there, only to uncover several children's skeletons."

"Oh, God, that's sick." Cassie said, shaking her head in disgust. "That's not even the worst part. All the children's bodies have words carved into their bones, each in different languages. There was a child at the scene, about 7 years old, who was tied up with rope. He hasn't said a thing." Cam replied.

Cassie, who usually would have been excited to get a case where she was needed in both of her major departments of study, was dreading what was to come, but eager to solve this case. "We are going to need you a lot for this one, Dr. Blackwood, and I realize that this is most likely your first real case. But you need to be completely prepared and ready for anything. I want Dr. Sweets to assist you with anything you may need, if he isn't working with anyone else." Cam explained. Lance nodded frantically. "I am more than willing to do anything to help Dr. Blackwood, Dr. Saroyan."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassie calmed herself down, and decided that the first order of business was to talk to the child. She retrieved Sammy from Hodgins' office, and her and Lance walked to hers.

"I'm very afraid." Cassie admitted openly. Lance shrugged. "You know you'll do fine…"

"It's not me that I'm afraid for, Lance, I'm afraid of what I will find. This kid is going to be so traumatized….."

The conversation died as they reached her office, and they saw a small boy, with blonde curly hair and blue eyes sitting on the couch, opposite of the couch Cassie usually sat on. Cassie tentatively knocked on the door. "May I come in?" she asked softly. The little boy jumped from behind the couch, obviously startled. Lance, who was confused as to why she asked to go into her _own_ office, figured it was just a technique when working with children. The boy nodded his head slowly, and Cassie and Sammy slowly walked in. Lance followed them in.

"So, my name is Dr. Blackwood, this is my dog, Sammy, and this is my friend, Dr. Sweets. What's your name?" Cassie asked softly. The boy simply stared at them. "Not a big talker, huh? That's okay, I wasn't either when I was your age. How old are you?" she asked. He held up seven little fingers in response. Her eyes widened. "Seven WHOLE years! Wow, you're so big for your age! You look like you're 9 or 10!" she said excitedly. Lance smiled. The boy blushed and ducked his head, but obviously accepted the praise. Sammy slowly crept up to the boy, and laid his head in his lap. The boy looked startled, but slowly pet it. "He likes you. See? He wants you to pet his head just like that." Cassie said kindly. The boy continued to pet the golden retriever. "Sammy wants to know your name."

"Doggies don't talk." The boy said, startling both Lance and Cassie.

Cassie grinned. "Just because dogs don't talk doesn't mean they don't have something to say. He wants to know your name. Why don't you tell Sammy?"

The boy looked anxious, but still spoke up. "C-Caleb." He said nervously. Cassie lit up. "Caleb? That's a nice name."

"T-Thanks."

"Hmmm. That's strange. Sammy wants to know something."

"W-What?"

Cassie frowned. Lance, observing all her tactics, was more than impressed. "Sammy wants to know…why you were tied up in that barn." She said softly.

Caleb's blood drained from his face, but he resumed petting the dog. He closed his eyes. "C-Caleb doesn't want to talk about that." The boy said coldly. Cassie sighed. "Sammy doesn't want you to be scared. Are you scared?" she asked. He shook his head. "Caleb isn't afraid of anything. He can't be."

"Everyone is allowed to be afraid sometimes, Caleb. Why can't you be?"

"Because he gets mad when we got scared."

"Who? Who gets mad, Caleb?"

"….T-The man."

"Do you know what his name is Caleb?"

"….."

"Caleb, I promise you, you will not get in trouble."

"…his name is Mr. Tom. That's what he makes us call him."

"Who else does he make call him Mr. Tom?"

"…Me and the other boys."

"What other boys, Caleb?"

"The other boys. He took them too."

"Mr. Tom took you all?"

"…y-yeah. Caleb was very scared. Caleb wanted to go home. Mr. Tom said we couldn't."

"Did Mr. Tom tell you why he couldn't let you go home?"

"M-Mr. Tom wanted us to be a family. He said Caleb, Nathan, Nicky, Matty, and Seth were gonna be his family."

Cassie smiled sadly. "Thank you, Caleb. You can sit with Sammy until we have your Mommy and Daddy come to get you." She said. The boy's face lit up. "I-I can see my mommy and daddy again? Really?" he asked softly. She nodded. "Of course you can, Caleb. I will make sure you never have to be separated from them again." She said strongly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Thanks to our little friend Caleb, we were able to put a name to the faces I recreated. Nathan McNamara, Nicholas James, Matthew Wong, and Seth Masters. All between the ages of 6 and 10 years old." Angela said sadly. The team was called into her office, and she portrayed four small faces of boys who had 'missing' written across their photographs. Cassie struggled to compose herself, feeling the tears brimming in her eyes. Brennan and Angela both wept quietly, while Cassie bit her lip, refusing to let any tears fall. Suddenly, Cassie fled the room, heading towards her office.

Cassie slammed the door behind her. She needed to find answers, and find them quickly. _These children,_ she thought, _need to go home. They need their families to know what happened to them. _As she logged onto her computer, her door opened. "Are you okay, Cassie? Do you want to talk?" said the voice Cassie instantly knew to be Lance. She turned around. "You. I need you, you're a profiler, right? You can find Mr. Tom, right?" she asked desperately. Lance went over to her and rubbed circles into her back. "Cassie, you and I both know that finding a man actually named Mr. Tom is very unlikely…"

"Look into the FBI database for anyone named Thomas who was convicted of anything related to child crimes. We can look into the DC area for people named Thomas. We have his address, so we can ask his neighbors who he was. We can check the local supermarkets, toy stores, downtown-"

"Cassie. You need to rest. You've had a stressful day, you need to go home and sleep."

"NO! That's just what this man wants, he wants us to all go home and forget about it, meanwhile he could be hurting more kids!" she exclaimed angrily. He raised his hands in defense. "All I'm saying is…I don't think it would be a terrible idea to go home. Cuddle with Sammy, eat some ice cream, watch a movie…don't push yourself farther, Cassie." He said, obviously concerned.

"I can't do that! These children need to go home! Their mothers and father, sisters and brothers need to know what happened to them! It is our job to bring justice to them! How can…How can I go home, knowing that I wasn't able to do that?" she snapped. He looked into her eyes, and knew that there was much more to it, but wasn't going to ask because he knew she wasn't ready. "You made so much progress with Caleb over there. You reassured him, gave him hope. And you still got the information that we needed to give faces to those kids. I think you have done more than enough for the day!" he replied, exasperated. She sniffed. "There is no such thing as 'doing enough' when it comes to catching a psychopath who killed 4 boys, and god knows what else he did to them!" she said softly. He continued to rub small circles into her back. "Cassie, you being exhausted and tired tomorrow when you come into work tomorrow won't help anyone solve this case. Face it, we need you here, specifically for this one, more than anyone else. You've done so much in the short time you've been here. We are all proud of you. _I'm_ proud of you." Lance explained. She looked up at him, tears still threatening to fall over. "I'm going to go home and try to rest. Take Sammy for a walk, eat some milk-free ice cream, and watch The Notebook or something. Okay?" she asked. He smiled a little bit.

"Okay. Now, let's get you home."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassie lied in her bed, eating her Green Tea soy ice cream, as she watched Ryan Gosling profess his undying love for Rachel McAdams in the rain. "Such bullshit, right Sammy?" she asked softly. Sammy, who was lying at her feet, whined in response, clearly understanding she was sad. She always promised herself that she would never get this attached to a case, even if anything about the patients or case itself was similar to her childhood. She didn't cry, and for that she was proud, but she didn't know how much longer she would be able to pull the strong, emotionless therapist act. Sammy stayed by her side the whole time, and she didn't even have a panic attack, although she thought she would.

Lance sat on his sofa, raking his hand through his short, brown curls. Figuring out Cassie was much harder then he originally thought. Although her happy, cheerful demeanor yet calm, mature nature was one of the things he loved most about the young linguist/therapist, when he looked into her eyes, there was a lingering sadness, one that didn't go away. He had seen the same thing in a few of his patients, and even himself, but didn't want to go through the possibilities, for he was afraid of the assumption he would create. He had already contemplated a lot of theories, but each were too painful for him to think of. He could only hope that Cassie would make it through the night.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lance walked to Cassie's office the next morning, with both of their breakfasts in hand. He ordered his usual, a caramel latte with a blueberry muffin, and ordered her usual black coffee with a ginger molasses cookie. He realized Cassie had a really rough night the previous day, and he thought maybe a little morning treat would help her feel better. He knocked on her door, and when there was no response, he opened the door.

"Good morni-"

Lance practically dropped his food when he saw Cassie. There were 3 large marker boards lined up in her office, all with different languages on all of them, in different orders. There were also photographs of the children's bones. "Um, what are you doing…?" he asked slowly. She didn't even glance his way, but somehow knew it was him. "The inscriptions on the bones were all in different languages, one language per skeleton. I have a theory that our murderer wrote these inscriptions based on each child's ethnicity. Matthew Wong, aged six, was of Asian descent, as his parents are both Chinese and from Angela's facial reconstruction diagrams, we can tell that the boy had epicanthic folds, a common trait among those who are of Asian ancestry. The language inscribed onto his skeleton was most definitely Chinese. And Nathan McNamara, age 8, was of Irish descent. The language inscribed into his skeleton was Old Irish." She explained. She finally turned around, and saw him with their breakfast. "Oh, Lance, thank you so much." She said gratefully. He shrugged, a blush on his cheeks. "It was no big deal. I just figured you were going to have a busy day and needed to start your day off on a good foot." He replied. She took the coffee and cookie from his hands. "How did you know I liked black coffee and vegan ginger molasses cookies?" she said in awe. He blushed again. "O-Oh, you know, I saw you drinking black coffee the other day, and I asked the guy at Starbucks what vegan stuff they had, so I took a lucky guess. She took a happy bite, and turned to her work. "So, is there anything else you discovered, Dr. Blackwood, as you made your genius conclusions?" he asked, as he munched on a muffin, leaning against her desk. She grinned. "I have also concluded that this man must have either taken a very lucky guess, or knew these children personally. He knew these kids, how else could he tell Seth Masters was of Lithuanian descent or that Nicholas James was of Nigerian descent? Even if he didn't know them, he must have followed them before he kidnapped them. The kidnappings were not sporadic, they were premeditated." She explained thoughtfully. His eyes widened, and he nodded, motioning for her to continue. "I've also concluded that due to the one year age difference between them all, and the fact that they were of all different racial backgrounds, these kids were most likely kept rather then killed on the spots. I think he was conducting some form of experiment."

"A scientific experiment?"

"Perhaps, I have Hodgins running the victims' bone marrow and blood from the scene for any types of drugs or sedatives, anything that could prove that he was doing some form of test. The only other type of experiment he could have done would be a social experiment, which makes sense, but not enough to fulfill all of the details of the murder."

Lance was very impressed. This woman was much smarter then he first thought, and he still thought she was smart then.

His growing affection for her suddenly grew much stronger.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW IM DESPERATE

Chapter 5: Everything Is Alright

Cassie had never been so exhausted in her life. Even when she was in college, and had to study harder than anyone else because she wanted to fast-track, she made sure to at least get 2 hours of sleep every night. It's been 3 days since she was assigned her part of the case, and she hadn't gone home, eaten any real food, or slept.

At all.

She was never so confused in her life. Whoever this murderer was knew what he was doing. The translations she was making – or trying to make- were still in some type of riddle-like code, and not only was she confused as to what it meant, but she wasn't sure she was translating many of the words correctly. The penmanship of the writing was so spidery and cryptic, she wasn't even sure if some of the words were words at all.

Lance, Hodgins, and Angela had formed a closer bond with her since she started the case. Lance, who she clicked immediately with the day she met him, had kept her company, even though she rarely spoke to him since she was so focused, and brought her food, snacks and plenty of her favorite black coffee. Hodgins and Angela, who viewed her somewhat as a younger sibling, walked and fed Sammy since she had no time to do it herself, and encouraged her to get rest and go home, although she refused. Cassie, for the first time in her whole life, felt completely accepted and appreciated. Even Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth had stopped in on her, checking and praising her progress.

But one thing Cassie wasn't, was stupid.

It was no secret they were all concerned about her, even though none of them had the nerve to disrupt her work. Lance was especially worried, telling her that her lack of sleep and lack of social interacting was doing more damage than Cassie probably was aware of. She simply dismissed him; didn't he know how important this case was to her?

No, of course he didn't. No one did, and no one could know.

It was 7 am, and as usual, a musical little knock sounded from the door of her office. "Come in, Lance!" she yelled. The door opened, and he walked in, 2 coffees in hand, and a small brown bag hanging out of his mouth. She giggled at his appearance, and as he smiled back, the bag fell from his mouth, and she quickly reached out and caught it.

Lance raised his eyebrows, obviously impressed. "Whoa, nice reflexes!" he commented, smirking. She blushed nervously. "Yeah, I played softball in high school and college. I was actually kinda good."

"So let me get this straight, Cassidy Blackwood: vegan, animal-lover, ex-softball player, hardworker. How many more things am I gonna find out about you?" he said with a chuckle. She smiled nervously, her reddish-brown locks falling in front of her face. _Hopefully nothing bad, _she thought to herself worriedly.

Lance seemed to notice something was off, so Cassie quickly changed the subject. "You know, you're gonna make me fat with all these treats you keep giving me." She said with a laugh, as she took a bite of the spiced pumpkin muffin he bought her. He gave her an odd look. "I would like to think that with as healthy conscious as you are, that's not really a possibility." He said with a small smile.

Cassie smiled genuinely, and Lance smiled back. Suddenly, another knock at the door was heard. "Guess who's back!" said the voice Cassie quickly recognized as Angela. Hodgins walked in behind her, holding onto Sammy's leash. Both her and Lance waved a hello, and Angela smiled broadly, with a bit of mischief behind it. "Guess what?!"

"What?"

"Hodgins and I realized that you've been working _really, really_ hard lately, so we set up a little fun for you this evening!"

Cassie instantly paled. "Oh god, what did you-"

"We checked out this new little club that opened up, and we thought we'd invite you for a little night on the town!" Angela said excitedly. Cassie rubbed her temples, trying to stay calm. "Angela, as much as I appreciate the offer, I don't really think that's a-"

Hodgins quickly cut her off. "Let me tell you what's actually happening. We are forcing you to come out with us whether you like it or not. Angela picked out an outfit for you and everything." He said proudly. Cassie felt all the blood drain from her face, and took a shaky breath. "Thank you, Angela. I look forward to it." She said with a faux smile, hoping everyone would buy it. Angela let out a squeal, and led Hodgins out of the office, talking rapidly about their plans for the night.

Once the couple left, Cassie threw herself in a chair, and let out a sigh. Lance looked at her concernedly, and sat down next to her. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. She took another deep breath. "Yeah, I'm just a little stressed."

"Why? Angela and Hodgins just invited you out for a stress-free night…"

"I just feel like as much as I want to go with them tonight, I feel like if I'm killing precious time I could be using to help solve this case."

Lance smiled at his friend, admiring her perseverance and stubbornness. "You know, one night of fun won't kill you. You deserve this." He said softly. She smiled a little at him. "I guess you're right. Hey…do you think you, I don't know, wanna come with me?" she asked hopefully. His eyes widened. "Y-Yeah, of course. I mean, I've got nothing else planned." He replied, trying to sound casual, but failing. Cassie giggled, and in return, he smiled.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

"Why won't you just let me see before you decide you don't like it?" Angela pleaded. The two were at Cassie's apartment, where Angela had laid out a few outfits for the night.

"Because, I look like a street walker, Ang!" she groaned. As much as she appreciated the thought, Angela's outfit choices were a bit…risqué, to say the least. After a few minutes of non-stop knocking, Cassie walked out. "There, see I told you, I look-"

Angela's eyes widened. Cassie wore a long sleeved, off the shoulder black dress that reached a few inches above her knee, with a pair of toeless black boot heels. Her large curls were pulled back into a half ponytail, her silk ringlets hanging over her shoulders in waves. She wore a pair of silver hoops, and her makeup consisted of a little eyeliner and a shimmery gloss on her lips. Cassie blushed. "See? I told you I looked-"

"Sweetie, you look _stunning. Please, please_ tell me you are wearing this tonight." Angela said, her mouth slightly agape. Cassie turned to look at the mirror. She had to admit, she did look good, but she just felt so…uncomfortable.

"Fine. I'll wear it, as long as you don't bug me about it, okay?" Cassie said seriously. Angela nodded her head frantically, and suddenly, a smirk appeared on her face. "You know, I bet Sweets' eyes are going to fall out of his head when he sees you." She said sneakily. Cassie turned to her, a splash of red across her cheeks. "Don't you start, too. It's enough Dr. Brennan thinks we have 'sexual chemistry'," Cassie replied, a frown on her face. Angela scrunched her eyebrows together. "Come on, Cassie, I'm just joking, I mean it's not like you actually like him or anything."

Cassie blushed furiously. It wasn't a lie that she had developed certain feelings for the young psychologist. However, she knew that her friendship and work relationship with him was more important. Angela stared at her blushing face for a few moments, and her eyebrows raised, and a playful grin spread on her face. "You _do _like him! I knew it, I knew it!" she squealed. Cassie blushed even more, and rolled her eyes.

"No I don't-"

"Yes you do! Oh my god that is _so_ cute! He definitely likes you back, Cassie!"

Cassie scoffed. "What is this, high school? He is my friend, Angela. Besides, I'm sure he doesn't even like me like that anyways…."

Angela clapped her hands together excitedly. "You so obviously like him! Just admit it!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Cassie sighed. "Fine, okay? I like him. He's adorable, and he's nice, and he's caring. But it doesn't matter so just forget it okay?!" she exclaimed. Angela let out another one of her infamous squeals.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassie and Angela finally arrived at the nightclub, Angela talking the whole time about how Lance was going to pass out when he saw Cassie. It was very obvious that Cassie wasn't comfortable, not talking about who she liked, about what she was wearing, about going to a nightclub.

They could only hope it wouldn't be a total disaster.

Angela dragged Cassie to the back of the club, where Hodgins and Lance were sitting at the bar. Lance wasn't wearing his normal business suit, but a pair of nice jeans, dress shoes, a white collared shirt with a skinny tie, and a black cardigan. When he saw Cassie, every one of Angela's thoughts and Cassie's fears came true. His eyes practically fell out of his skull, and he felt drool threatening to leave his mouth. Hodgins, being the supportive friend her is, just laughed hysterically at his reaction. All Lance could think was that this girl was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Angela and Hodgins quickly let the two "get to know each other better" and left to the dance floor. Cassie plopped down in a seat next to Lance, ordering a diet Coke from the bartender. Lance, who was still speechless, merely just stared at the young woman. After a few minutes under his gaze, she bit her lip nervously, a strand of hair falling into her face. "I know, Angela made me wear this…I even told her it's terrible." Cassie said softly. Lance's eyes widened, shaking his head frantically. "No, no, I wasn't trying to insult you…I think you look great. Like, really great." He said quickly. She smiled a bit at this, slightly reassured. "Thank you. You clean up nice too, hipster." She said with a chuckle. He raised an eyebrow. "Hipster?"

"Cardigan, skinny tie, dress shoes with jeans…"

Lance laughed. "I don't think I've ever been called a hipster before."

"Well, of course not, it's a contemporary subculture fairly new that was introduced in the 1990s settled by older teenagers and young adults." She replied smartly. He grinned at her, a gleam in his eye. Suddenly, a giddy chortle erupted from his throat. Cassie, skeptical, but grinning, narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"C'mon, what?"

"Fine. I was just thinking…that you looked really pretty."

Cassie ducked her head nervously. "You don't have to say that."

"Why not? You do. Honestly."

Cassie grinned, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Lance cleared his throat. "So... I was thinking about when we went out to lunch before we got called in…."

"Were you now?"

"Yeah…if you don't mind…I would really like to do it again. If you would like to."

Cassie smirked a bit. "If I didn't know better, Lance Sweets, I would say you are asking me out."

"What if I was?"

"I could only respond if you were asking me."

"Okay, Cassie Blackwood, would you like to join me for dinner this Saturday?"

She laughed. "Of course, Lance."

Lance smiled. He didn't know what he did to deserve her, but at least he was making progress.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassie fell onto her bed, Sammy jumping next to her. She had one of the most fun nights of her life. After having a very in-depth conversation about their favorite music, favorite books, weird cases they had received since starting their careers, and funny college stories, Lance practically dragged her to the dance floor. Together, they most likely traumatized anyone who saw them, doing moves like the sprinkler and even swing dancing. Out of respect, Lance didn't even drink any alcohol, since he recognized that for some reason she wouldn't tell him, she was very sensitive towards it. That was something no one had ever done before, and she couldn't help but feel like giggling.

Lance collapsed into his sofa, a mug of tea in hand. Every time he saw her, he couldn't help but feel a swell of affection for her. He never, ever felt like this when he was with Daisy, or anyone. He couldn't stop smiling.


End file.
